In my short time teaching, I would say things have gotten a bit more difficult, in regards to what is required of teachers, and how the students, and parents, behave.

When I first started, No Child Left Behind, was going into full effect. It sounds like a great idea, in theory, "All students should get a quality education, and not be overlooked". The problem is, as with most things, it's not that simple. Every student is expected to improve. A student with a severe learning disability, they have to improve. A student, who doesn't care, they have to improve. A student, who performs at the upper level anyway, they have to improve. It's just not realistic, and when schools are judged by, and given money based on how well said students perform on a standardized test, it's actually not fair. Even worse, what about the schools, that base teacher pay, based on how well students perform? How do non-core teachers fit into that? Last I checked, there isn't a section on those tests for art terminology.

Beyond that, everyone seems to be finding new ways, for teachers, to demonstrate that they are actually teaching. Teachers have to create a portfolio, every couple years, attend so many professional development classes a year as well as take recertification classes to keep their license up. Much of this actually takes the teacher out of the classroom, or at least burns through their prep time.

I'm not going to pretend, that I have the answer, for the best way to evaluate teachers, especially those weirdos, that make up the art department(s). But I can tell you that politicians, aren't the best people to create that evaluation.

I've also discussed some of the upcoming trends, in other topics, such as No zeroes, and Standards Based Grading. Some have more merit than others, but all disregard, and dispute, some of the core concepts of the American education system.

When it comes to the students, they have gotten a bit worse, in some regards. I won't argue, the kids themselves are the same, but the parents and the world, seem to expect less from them, and as taking the path of least resistance is human nature, the students have grown accustomed to that.
The students are used to having constant stimulus from some type of electronics, hence their desire to text, tweet, etc constantly. I like technology, but we need to condition the students to survive without it. The problem is, trying to punish students these days has become harder to do. Even if teachers do so, there seems to less support, for the teachers, at home. Time was, if you got in trouble at school, you got worse, when you got home. Now, the parents don't really care, or worse, take their child's side. One of the biggest issues, that seems to have developed in the past couple years, is attendance. Parents have been calling their child out, for anything, and there is not much the school can do. The student misses, and then they expect the teacher to get them up to speed, like it's no big deal, they miss a couple days a week. My district, has started getting the District Attorney involved, once a student misses so many days, excused or not.

I think we do have great schools, in the U.S. But I also think, that we need to start expecting more from our students.

In my short time teaching, I would say things have gotten a bit more difficult, in regards to what is required of teachers, and how the students, and parents, behave.

When I first started, No Child Left Behind, was going into full effect. It sounds like a great idea, in theory, "All students should get a quality education, and not be overlooked". The problem is, as with most things, it's not that simple. Every student is expected to improve. A student with a severe learning disability, they have to improve. A student, who doesn't care, they have to improve. A student, who performs at the upper level anyway, they have to improve. It's just not realistic, and when schools are judged by, and given money based on how well said students perform on a standardized test, it's actually not fair. Even worse, what about the schools, that base teacher pay, based on how well students perform? How do non-core teachers fit into that? Last I checked, there isn't a section on those tests for art terminology.

Beyond that, everyone seems to be finding new ways, for teachers, to demonstrate that they are actually teaching. Teachers have to create a portfolio, every couple years, attend so many professional development classes a year as well as take recertification classes to keep their license up. Much of this actually takes the teacher out of the classroom, or at least burns through their prep time.

I'm not going to pretend, that I have the answer, for the best way to evaluate teachers, especially those weirdos, that make up the art department(s). But I can tell you that politicians, aren't the best people to create that evaluation.

I've also discussed some of the upcoming trends, in other topics, such as No zeroes, and Standards Based Grading. Some have more merit than others, but all disregard, and dispute, some of the core concepts of the American education system.

When it comes to the students, they have gotten a bit worse, in some regards. I won't argue, the kids themselves are the same, but the parents and the world, seem to expect less from them, and as taking the path of least resistance is human nature, the students have grown accustomed to that. The students are used to having constant stimulus from some type of electronics, hence their desire to text, tweet, etc constantly. I like technology, but we need to condition the students to survive without it. The problem is, trying to punish students these days has become harder to do. Even if teachers do so, there seems to less support, for the teachers, at home. Time was, if you got in trouble at school, you got worse, when you got home. Now, the parents don't really care, or worse, take their child's side. One of the biggest issues, that seems to have developed in the past couple years, is attendance. Parents have been calling their child out, for anything, and there is not much the school can do. The student misses, and then they expect the teacher to get them up to speed, like it's no big deal, they miss a couple days a week. My district, has started getting the District Attorney involved, once a student misses so many days, excused or not.

I think we do have great schools, in the U.S. But I also think, that we need to start expecting more from our students.

Benzine;You are right. The NCLB is a political movement to keep kids in school and off unemployment rolls. In Australia, the then prime minister, Kevin Rudd brought this in. The idea was that all youth under 21, if not employed, would be in some sort of course, and were not eligible for welfare. In Canada, education is a provincial mandate. Ontario teachers are currently working to rule for better pay. This means no coaching, no clubs or intramural sports. It has gone on a long time-since September.TJR.

TJR, sadly, No Child Left Behind, seems to be a lot of rhetoric. Like I said, it sounds good in theory.

What's really unfortunate is that there are shifts in educational theory and required policy all the time. This means that teachers are expected to constantly change, what they are doing in their classroom. At the very best, teachers have to add something, to what they normally do. At the very worst, they have to completely redo, everything that works for them, and their class(es).
I mentioned required professional development meetings, in my first post. Since I've been teaching, there hasn't been two years in a row, where we continued a professional development focus, from one year to the next. It's something new every year. We do it, basically because we have to. All the while, we are having early outs, and morning meetings, which take away from our work time, in our class, with students.

TJR, sadly, No Child Left Behind, seems to be a lot of rhetoric. Like I said, it sounds good in theory.

What's really unfortunate is that there are shifts in educational theory and required policy all the time. This means that teachers are expected to constantly change, what they are doing in their classroom. At the very best, teachers have to add something, to what they normally do. At the very worst, they have to completely redo, everything that works for them, and their class(es). I mentioned required professional development meetings, in my first post. Since I've been teaching, there hasn't been two years in a row, where we continued a professional development focus, from one year to the next. It's something new every year. We do it, basically because we have to. All the while, we are having early outs, and morning meetings, which take away from our work time, in our class, with students.

Benzine;We do meet for inservice days,[all the art specialists together, all the math guys together]. We work on a new technique or direction organized by our divisional art consultant. There are no qualification tests are other hoops to jump through. I actually look forward to these days, as I tend to learn something new. Even an old guy like me can learn a new trick.TJR.

Staying away from politics here as much as I can...... (forum rules) .... I have to say that here in the USA many of the public school core academic policies of the last decade or so have not been positive factors in the effectiveness of our K-12 educational structure.

And great Carlin quote.

best,

....................john

I'm happy to see that some people recognize the state of affairs that NCLB led the country to. The digital age was to remove a lot of the multiplication of paper work that we had before, policies like NCLB just increased it and took much of the joy of teaching out of teaching.

Pres;I don't know what NCLB is. National Council on Licenced Barbecues? National Co-ordinated Libertarian Babies. I am just guessing here. Can you help me out?Tom.

No Child Left Behind...a teachers' nightmare according to many of my teacher friends and relatives.Marcia.

All of this depends on how the local schools approached it. As it is mostly about standardized testing, teaching how to test is often taught, taking time out of regular classes low on the priority list. Then when a student needs remediation on a certain area before the test classes are taught to those students, again taking them out of classes low on the priority list. After testing, student with failing assessments were given more remediation before retesting for grade movement and again they were taken out of classes with low priorities. In the early years of NCLB there was no usage of portfolios to show work, only the testing. There is no standard for the Arts in NCLB, thank goodness, and regretfully at the same time. Earliest testing fell on Language and Math. Science has been moved in, and others are to be on their way.

All of this does effect one thing that being a service brat I believe in-a National curriculum. You really don't know what it is like to move from the East coast to the West coast, or to Hawaii, or anywhere in between and still be on the same page. Schools of the 50's and 60's did great jobs, but they were very local in what they taught. At the same time in the later years I had to take summer courses almost every state I went to as I was missing state history! NCLB because of how it is so structured forces State and local to follow a universal scope and sequence.

It turned teaching into "teach to the test". Teaching how to think ceased. Everything like school funding depended on the scores of the tests...at least in some states
like Maryland and Pa, and Texas.
Pres, my husband, the rocket scientist, was a service brat. Got a report card once in Va. saying he asked too many questions.
He spent several years in HS in Germany and speaks German.

It turned teaching into "teach to the test". Teaching how to think ceased. Everything like school funding depended on the scores of the tests...at least in some stateslike Maryland and Pa, and Texas.Pres, my husband, the rocket scientist, was a service brat. Got a report card once in Va. saying he asked too many questions.He spent several years in HS in Germany and speaks German.

Marcia

Furthest I got overseas was Hawaii before statehood. I was there for the year long party! Three years there I had rock fever when I left. Schools for service dependents varied greatly from state to state. Pearl Harbor Kai on Hawaii was a great elementary school. Many of the schools in the south in the 60's nearly skipped math. The point here is that a National curriculum of some sort is needed with enough leeway to keep the states individual rights people happy.

I believe in National Standards as well, and not just for the core classes, but for the electives as well. Myself and the Middle School/ Elementary Art teacher, are trying to create a K-12 Visual Arts Curriculum for our district, so we are at least on the same page, district wide.

Basing funding, on Standardized Tests, has become a dangerous game. At the least, you have schools teaching to the test. At the worst, you have that situation, like you had in Atlanta, where they were blatantly cheating. There are similar ideas, where the specific content area teachers, receive bonuses if their students perform well. What about the elective areas, that aren't evaluated by the tests.

I want to discuss about the modern education and our young generation. It has been seen that our young generation even though has best of the best educational facilities and technology but still they are not enough educated as it suppose to be. They are tend to be the spoiler or bratz rather then just being a positive persons. Do they not have any good role model or the teachers are focusing science and technology too much and not focusing upon the moral education, what do you think?

You are absolutely right. Education like what we have been getting for the last 20 years isn't effective that much. Teachers are concentrating in completing the syllabus, that's what they care about. Students are trying to get better marks. In this race of earning good marks and finishing the course fast, students will end up being nothing but a nerd, geek, or too introvert to share their thoughts. I think education system needs to be re-evaluated.

I want to discuss about the modern education and our young generation. It has been seen that our young generation even though has best of the best educational facilities and technology but still they are not enough educated as it suppose to be. They are tend to be the spoiler or bratz rather then just being a positive persons. Do they not have any good role model or the teachers are focusing science and technology too much and not focusing upon the moral education, what do you think?

You are absolutely right. Education like what we have been getting for the last 20 years isn't effective that much. Teachers are concentrating in completing the syllabus, that's what they care about. Students are trying to get better marks. In this race of earning good marks and finishing the course fast, students will end up being nothing but a nerd, geek, or too introvert to share their thoughts. I think education system needs to be re-evaluated.

When we talk about change, maybe we need to also consider the change in the attitudes of our society towards education. Obviously, being a retired teacher here, I have a bias. That said, there is not the same attitude of cooperation that existed when I grew up. My parents put education first for me. It was considered my job and something that I had to do before anything else. Homework, as much as I hated it had to be done before going out and throwing the baseball, or reading a book, or the hour of TV we would watch in the 50's and 60's. When we look at the entertainments and amusements that young people have today that are growing at an exponential rate you wonder how they get anything done. At the same time, all too often I see parents that are self involved texting or on the phone when their children are running rampant. Maybe I'm just an old fogie, but after being to China and talking to people about their hopes for their children with education, maybe not.

Maybe I'm just an old fogie, but after being to China and talking to people about their hopes for their children with education, maybe not.

Getting outside of this country for at least 3 months should be required for everyone by the time that they reach the age of 25. Once you see what is happening elsewhere ....... you more clearly realize what is happening here.

I can't (yet) speak about China....... but the educational system in Japan and South Korea is a real eye-opener.

I want to discuss about the modern education and our young generation. It has been seen that our young generation even though has best of the best educational facilities and technology but still they are not enough educated as it suppose to be. They are tend to be the spoiler or bratz rather then just being a positive persons. Do they not have any good role model or the teachers are focusing science and technology too much and not focusing upon the moral education, what do you think?

You are absolutely right. Education like what we have been getting for the last 20 years isn't effective that much. Teachers are concentrating in completing the syllabus, that's what they care about. Students are trying to get better marks. In this race of earning good marks and finishing the course fast, students will end up being nothing but a nerd, geek, or too introvert to share their thoughts. I think education system needs to be re-evaluated.

When we talk about change, maybe we need to also consider the change in the attitudes of our society towards education. Obviously, being a retired teacher here, I have a bias. That said, there is not the same attitude of cooperation that existed when I grew up. My parents put education first for me. It was considered my job and something that I had to do before anything else. Homework, as much as I hated it had to be done before going out and throwing the baseball, or reading a book, or the hour of TV we would watch in the 50's and 60's. When we look at the entertainments and amusements that young people have today that are growing at an exponential rate you wonder how they get anything done. At the same time, all too often I see parents that are self involved texting or on the phone when their children are running rampant. Maybe I'm just an old fogie, but after being to China and talking to people about their hopes for their children with education, maybe not.

I couldn't agree more. Schools are but a small part of o society and the education a child receives. Students are in the school for a third of their day, and two thirds of their year. Even more, they don't start school until the fourth or fifth year of their life. That's a lot of time, they are learning things elsewhere. Yet, when something goes wrong, it's the fault of the schools.

You want to talk about parents texting? I have students, who want to answer a text, because it's from their parent. I tell them, I don't care if it's the President, you're in school, and shouldn't be using their phone. Then they sometimes say, "But my parents get mad, when I don't text them back right away." I just tell them, that their parents know where they are at, they are in school, and if they need anything else, they can call the office.

I want to discuss about the modern education and our young generation. It has been seen that our young generation even though has best of the best educational facilities and technology but still they are not enough educated as it suppose to be. They are tend to be the spoiler or bratz rather then just being a positive persons. Do they not have any good role model or the teachers are focusing science and technology too much and not focusing upon the moral education, what do you think?

You are absolutely right. Education like what we have been getting for the last 20 years isn't effective that much. Teachers are concentrating in completing the syllabus, that's what they care about. Students are trying to get better marks. In this race of earning good marks and finishing the course fast, students will end up being nothing but a nerd, geek, or too introvert to share their thoughts. I think education system needs to be re-evaluated.

When we talk about change, maybe we need to also consider the change in the attitudes of our society towards education. Obviously, being a retired teacher here, I have a bias. That said, there is not the same attitude of cooperation that existed when I grew up. My parents put education first for me. It was considered my job and something that I had to do before anything else. Homework, as much as I hated it had to be done before going out and throwing the baseball, or reading a book, or the hour of TV we would watch in the 50's and 60's. When we look at the entertainments and amusements that young people have today that are growing at an exponential rate you wonder how they get anything done. At the same time, all too often I see parents that are self involved texting or on the phone when their children are running rampant. Maybe I'm just an old fogie, but after being to China and talking to people about their hopes for their children with education, maybe not.

I couldn't agree more. Schools are but a small part of o society and the education a child receives. Students are in the school for a third of their day, and two thirds of their year. Even more, they don't start school until the fourth or fifth year of their life. That's a lot of time, they are learning things elsewhere. Yet, when something goes wrong, it's the fault of the schools.

You want to talk about parents texting? I have students, who want to answer a text, because it's from their parent. I tell them, I don't care if it's the President, you're in school, and shouldn't be using their phone. Then they sometimes say, "But my parents get mad, when I don't text them back right away." I just tell them, that their parents know where they are at, they are in school, and if they need anything else, they can call the office.

And for the record Pres, I do not consider you an old fogie.

Our district banned cell phones in the building. they can have them, but if we heard them, or saw them we were required to confiscate them. Too many times they are used to cheat on tests or other evaluations. . . . colleges learned that real early. Heck some schools have created dead zones.

The Chinese go to school all year round, and on weekends they have to take some sort of sport or arts. The day is from 8-12, 2-5 often with classes before or after if needed or wanted. One child policy causes the parents to put all the hopes on one child. Free education for 9 years then pay. If have a second birth then they pay for everything!

Glad to know that someone doesn't figure I'm an old fogie, but hard to reckon some days with what goes on.

I want to discuss about the modern education and our young generation. It has been seen that our young generation even though has best of the best educational facilities and technology but still they are not enough educated as it suppose to be. They are tend to be the spoiler or bratz rather then just being a positive persons. Do they not have any good role model or the teachers are focusing science and technology too much and not focusing upon the moral education, what do you think?

You are absolutely right. Education like what we have been getting for the last 20 years isn't effective that much. Teachers are concentrating in completing the syllabus, that's what they care about. Students are trying to get better marks. In this race of earning good marks and finishing the course fast, students will end up being nothing but a nerd, geek, or too introvert to share their thoughts. I think education system needs to be re-evaluated.

When we talk about change, maybe we need to also consider the change in the attitudes of our society towards education. Obviously, being a retired teacher here, I have a bias. That said, there is not the same attitude of cooperation that existed when I grew up. My parents put education first for me. It was considered my job and something that I had to do before anything else. Homework, as much as I hated it had to be done before going out and throwing the baseball, or reading a book, or the hour of TV we would watch in the 50's and 60's. When we look at the entertainments and amusements that young people have today that are growing at an exponential rate you wonder how they get anything done. At the same time, all too often I see parents that are self involved texting or on the phone when their children are running rampant. Maybe I'm just an old fogie, but after being to China and talking to people about their hopes for their children with education, maybe not.

I couldn't agree more. Schools are but a small part of o society and the education a child receives. Students are in the school for a third of their day, and two thirds of their year. Even more, they don't start school until the fourth or fifth year of their life. That's a lot of time, they are learning things elsewhere. Yet, when something goes wrong, it's the fault of the schools.

You want to talk about parents texting? I have students, who want to answer a text, because it's from their parent. I tell them, I don't care if it's the President, you're in school, and shouldn't be using their phone. Then they sometimes say, "But my parents get mad, when I don't text them back right away." I just tell them, that their parents know where they are at, they are in school, and if they need anything else, they can call the office.

And for the record Pres, I do not consider you an old fogie.

Our district banned cell phones in the building. they can have them, but if we heard them, or saw them we were required to confiscate them. Too many times they are used to cheat on tests or other evaluations. . . . colleges learned that real early. Heck some schools have created dead zones.

The Chinese go to school all year round, and on weekends they have to take some sort of sport or arts. The day is from 8-12, 2-5 often with classes before or after if needed or wanted. One child policy causes the parents to put all the hopes on one child. Free education for 9 years then pay. If have a second birth then they pay for everything!

Glad to know that someone doesn't figure I'm an old fogie, but hard to reckon some days with what goes on.

Cell phones are not banned, and we are supposed to confiscate them, if they are being actively used. I'm more lenient than I probably should be, because I give warnings. I do not tolerate them, talking on them though.

That's interesting about China's educational set up. The thing about China, and many other similar countries is, they have something that we don't. They have the drive to make sure, their children have a better life. Many Americans just don't have that anymore. Many of us have cable and cellphones, along with many other items, that would be a luxury in other countries.

I don't think year round school will ever be the norm here. Much of the country is too dependent on agriculture, and the labor provided by school age children, during the summer months, to make school year round.

Pres, if you are a fogie, then I am as well. I've been called a fun hater by my students on many occasions. I actually had some students tell me, that I acted older, than my other department member, who was nearly twenty years older. To be fair, that wasn't hard, as they acted like a teenager themselves.

I want to discuss about the modern education and our young generation. It has been seen that our young generation even though has best of the best educational facilities and technology but still they are not enough educated as it suppose to be. They are tend to be the spoiler or bratz rather then just being a positive persons. Do they not have any good role model or the teachers are focusing science and technology too much and not focusing upon the moral education, what do you think?

You are absolutely right. Education like what we have been getting for the last 20 years isn't effective that much. Teachers are concentrating in completing the syllabus, that's what they care about. Students are trying to get better marks. In this race of earning good marks and finishing the course fast, students will end up being nothing but a nerd, geek, or too introvert to share their thoughts. I think education system needs to be re-evaluated.

When we talk about change, maybe we need to also consider the change in the attitudes of our society towards education. Obviously, being a retired teacher here, I have a bias. That said, there is not the same attitude of cooperation that existed when I grew up. My parents put education first for me. It was considered my job and something that I had to do before anything else. Homework, as much as I hated it had to be done before going out and throwing the baseball, or reading a book, or the hour of TV we would watch in the 50's and 60's. When we look at the entertainments and amusements that young people have today that are growing at an exponential rate you wonder how they get anything done. At the same time, all too often I see parents that are self involved texting or on the phone when their children are running rampant. Maybe I'm just an old fogie, but after being to China and talking to people about their hopes for their children with education, maybe not.

I couldn't agree more. Schools are but a small part of o society and the education a child receives. Students are in the school for a third of their day, and two thirds of their year. Even more, they don't start school until the fourth or fifth year of their life. That's a lot of time, they are learning things elsewhere. Yet, when something goes wrong, it's the fault of the schools.

You want to talk about parents texting? I have students, who want to answer a text, because it's from their parent. I tell them, I don't care if it's the President, you're in school, and shouldn't be using their phone. Then they sometimes say, "But my parents get mad, when I don't text them back right away." I just tell them, that their parents know where they are at, they are in school, and if they need anything else, they can call the office.

And for the record Pres, I do not consider you an old fogie.

Our district banned cell phones in the building. they can have them, but if we heard them, or saw them we were required to confiscate them. Too many times they are used to cheat on tests or other evaluations. . . . colleges learned that real early. Heck some schools have created dead zones.

The Chinese go to school all year round, and on weekends they have to take some sort of sport or arts. The day is from 8-12, 2-5 often with classes before or after if needed or wanted. One child policy causes the parents to put all the hopes on one child. Free education for 9 years then pay. If have a second birth then they pay for everything!

Glad to know that someone doesn't figure I'm an old fogie, but hard to reckon some days with what goes on.

Cell phones are not banned, and we are supposed to confiscate them, if they are being actively used. I'm more lenient than I probably should be, because I give warnings. I do not tolerate them, talking on them though.

That's interesting about China's educational set up. The thing about China, and many other similar countries is, they have something that we don't. They have the drive to make sure, their children have a better life. Many Americans just don't have that anymore. Many of us have cable and cellphones, along with many other items, that would be a luxury in other countries.

I don't think year round school will ever be the norm here. Much of the country is too dependent on agriculture, and the labor provided by school age children, during the summer months, to make school year round.

Pres, if you are a fogie, then I am as well. I've been called a fun hater by my students on many occasions. I actually had some students tell me, that I acted older, than my other department member, who was nearly twenty years older. To be fair, that wasn't hard, as they acted like a teenager themselves.

Fun hater-hmmm seems like to me you have a job to do. Wonder if any of those name callers had their cell phones out and had a warning instead of confiscation. I usually gave a warning first time, but time number two-nailed to the wall. I would send the phone to class principal and they would have to see him about getting it back. If they gave me attitude about the warning, it was confiscated there and then.